If you have missing teeth, dental implants are a great option to restore your smile. In addition to replacing missing teeth, implants offer a few other advantages. Clayton, MO, dentist Dr. William Peterson helps his patients keep their smiles full, strong, and healthy with dental implants.

5 reasons to consider dental implants

If you're not sure if dental implants are the best choice for you, consider these benefits:

No Impact on Surrounding Teeth: If you need to replace one or more missing teeth, you're probably also considering a bridge, a restoration that consists of artificial teeth anchored by crowns on either end. Before you can receive a bridge, the anchor teeth must be filed down to ensure a proper fit. Dental implants don't require any changes to nearby teeth.

One and Done: Your Clayton dentist will do a consult, and then refer you to a specialist to place the dental implant. Titanium dental implants are placed in your jawbone during a minor oral surgical procedure. Once in place, the implants fuse to the surrounding bone and become a permanent part of your mouth. Although you'll need to replace the dental crowns attached to the implants periodically, your dental implants can last your entire life. If you opt for a bridge or dentures, you can expect to replace those restorations about every 10 to 15 years.

A Strong Jawbone: Did you know that your jawbone may begin to shrink after you lose a tooth? Shrinking, called resorption, occurs because your tooth roots no longer provide the constant stimulation needed to keep the bone strong. Although a little shrinking may not seem like a major problem, jawbone resorption can cause your teeth to loosen and fall out. Without adequate support from your jawbone, your lower facial muscles may begin to sag, adding years to your appearance.

Straighter Teeth: Once a tooth is lost, nearby teeth lose much-needed support. As a result, they may begin to drift toward the gap in your smile. Drifting, overlapping teeth don't just affect your appearance but can change your bite and make it more difficult to remove cavity-causing plaque.

Natural Feel: Dental implants feel like your own teeth because they're rooted in your jawbone just like your natural teeth. Implants offer important benefits for denture wearers. If you choose implant-supported dentures, you won't have to worry about gum irritation or a change in your biting power.

Your damaged tooth can be restored with a dental crown. A crown is placed over a damaged tooth like a cap and acts as a protective shell. The crown strengthens the tooth so it can resume biting and chewing functions again without pain or discomfort. In addition to strengthening teeth too weak to perform routine functions, dental crowns also improve the appearance of teeth with cosmetic flaws, such as stains or cracks, by concealing those imperfections. Dr. William Peterson is your dentist for dental crowns in Clayton, MO.

What are Crowns?

Dental crowns provide teeth a new exterior for teeth with damage, extensive decay, or cosmetic flaws. Each crown is custom made to fit over a specific tooth. The crown fits over the corresponding tooth like a cap and completely encapsulates and protects the tooth once in place. Dental crowns are made to look just like natural teeth so they readily blend in with your surrounding teeth. Crowns can give teeth a new look free of cosmetic imperfections, as well as strengthen and restore teeth too weak and damaged to perform normal functions.

Benefits of Crowns

Crowns provide several benefits, from restoring damaged teeth to transforming the appearance of teeth with cosmetic flaws. Another benefit of crowns is that they are cemented over teeth so they will remain in place permanently. The benefits of crowns include:

Restore and strengthen weak and damaged teeth

Protect teeth from sustaining additional damage

Restore regular biting and chewing functions

Alleviate strain on surrounding teeth that were compensating for damaged ones

Custom made to fit perfectly and match the appearance of your natural teeth

Conceal cosmetic concerns, such as stains, discolorations, chips, and cracks

Restore damaged teeth and improve the appearance of imperfect ones with dental crowns. For crowns in Clayton, MO schedule an appointment with Dr. Peterson by calling the dental office at (314) 727-4131.

Dental implants are a restorative procedure that beautifies your smile and reinforces your jawbone. Here is some more information your Clayton, MO, dentist, Dr. William Peterson, can provide you with!

What are dental implants?

It's vital to deal with tooth loss as soon as possible. Tooth loss results in the deterioration of bones due to the lack of ample support.

Here is more information about your dental implant procedure:

First, a local anesthetic is applied to the area that will undergo the procedure. Your dentist will then remove any tooth left and drill a hole into the jawbone, then insert a titanium post into it. The titanium post acts as the new tooth root and is biocompatible, so there is no worry of tissue rejection. The doctor will then surgically close the area and allow it to heal for a period of three to six months, while the process of osseointegration takes its full course. It's important to check in with your doctor periodically to make sure there aren't any problems. After the three to six months, you'll return to your Clayton dentist who will re-open the area, insert an abutment and place a crown over the abutment that matches the rest of your teeth.

What are the advantages of dental implants?

They are used to fill a single gap in your teeth, a few gaps, or all of your teeth.

Implants can have a high success rate, reaching 95 percent, compared to other dental restorations.

They can last a lifetime if cared for properly.

Dental implants look natural and can give you a beautiful smile.

You won't have to worry about being able to bite into and chew your favorite foods.

They don't slip out of place like dentures, which makes them comfortable and practical.

They provide your jawbone with the support it needs so that it doesn't shrink.

If you have questions or concerns, Dr. Peterson can help you out. Call his office in Clayton, MO, at (314) 727-4131 to make an appoint today!

You practice preventive care at home when you brush and floss, but is brushing and flossing enough to maintain your dental health? Not really, because you still need the services of a dentist and dental hygienist to keep your smile in top shape. Dr. William Peterson in Clayton, MO wants to share why preventive care is important for dental health.

Brushing and flossing help to remove the plaque and bacteria before they can do damage. So if you are brushing and flossing regularly, good for you! However, you still need regular professional cleanings, dental examinations and x-rays.

You can’t do it all when it comes to taking care of your smile because many oral health issues can go undetected for years. You need professional preventive care to closely monitor the health of your gums, teeth and jawbone.

Your dental professionals will:

Thoroughly clean your teeth every six months to maintain the health of your gums; both hard deposits (calculus or tartar) and soft deposits (plaque) are removed and your teeth are polished to a brilliant shine.

Take x-rays at least yearly to monitor the health of your teeth and supporting bone

Do a comprehensive dental examination at least yearly to check for dental decay, evidence of gum disease or periodontal disease

Preventive care is vital to protecting your oral and dental health. Brushing and flossing are great, but you also need to partner with an expert like Dr. Peterson. For more information about preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental services call Dr. Peterson in Clayton, MO today!

You may need orthodontic treatment to correct poor jaw alignment, but you may also want orthodontic treatment to create a more beautiful smile. Modern orthodontic treatment allows you to do both. Dr. William H. Peterson in Clayton, Missouri wants to share why you might need or want orthodontics for your smile.

Orthodontic treatment can correct jaw alignment problems. It’s important for your chewing function to have your jaws come together correctly when you chew. Bad jaw alignment that goes uncorrected can result in wear-and-tear on the joints in your jaw, causing TMJ pain, headaches, and other issues. Some common jaw alignment problems that can be corrected with orthodontic treatment include:

An overbite, caused by your upper jaw protruding too far out in front of your lower jaw when you bite

An underbite, caused by your lower jaw protruding in front of your upper jaw when you bite

A crossbite, caused by your jaws crossing each other when you bite

An open bite, caused by your front teeth not closing together when you bite

You may want orthodontic treatment to make your smile look better. Rotated, crooked teeth or spaces between your teeth can be corrected to make your smile more cosmetically beautiful. Your smile will also be easier to clean when you have straight teeth. Tooth alignment issues aren’t just aesthetic issues. Poorly aligned teeth can also become damaged, broken, excessively worn, and traumatized.

Fortunately, Dr. Peterson offers Invisalign, the discreet way to make your smile straight and beautiful. Invisalign uses a system of clear plastic trays called aligners, which you will change out every two weeks until your treatment is complete. You will love Invisalign because it is:

Quick; the entire treatment is complete in 9 to 15 months

Comfortable; made of smooth plastic with no sharp metal parts

Discreet; with clear plastic trays, no one will notice you are wearing them

Healthy; you remove them to eat, brush, and floss your teeth

Whether you need orthodontics for functional issues, or you want orthodontics for a more pleasing smile, Dr. Peterson can help. To get started on your new smile call Dr. William H. Peterson in Clayton, Missouri today!

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